The Muneris Pony

Night Wing took in every detail of Dusk's new form. Everything about this new creature was Dusk. Almost nothing about him resembled Fire Fly. It was like Crystal and Twilight said. In this case, Dusk became the dominant figure of the fusion. Dusk had grown stronger over the past few months. Maybe your strength determined what the results of a fusion would be.

"What's going on?!" Crystal cried out as she ran up with Angel by her side. Crystal stopped when she saw Dusk and her eyes went wide. "Oh no!"

"Who's that?!" Angel asked.

"It's Dusk," Cora answered as she glared at the fusion before them.

"He fused with Fire Fly," Night added.

"And you're next!" Dusk snarled as he stepped closer.

"What?" Night asked as Cora stood between them.

"You're not getting any closer to her!" Cora growled.

"There's nothing you can do to stop me," Dusk chuckled. "Your friend's power will be mine, and the world will belong to me!"

"Why are you doing this?" Night asked.

"Enough talk!" Dusk growled. "Give me your power!" Dusk lunged at Night when Blazing flew down from above, landing a hard kick on the back of Dusk's head and smashing him into the ground.

"Keep your hooves off my friend!" Blazing growled as he kicked off Dusk's head.

"Nice one, Blaze!" Cora cheered.

"We need to get Night out of here!" Crystal cried out as she grabbed Night's shoulder.

"We can't just run from him!" Night protested as Crystal pulled her away from the scuffle between Blazing and Dusk.

"Just go!" Blazing called out. "I'll hold him as long as I can!"

"But--"

"Forget it, Night! Let's go!" Cora yelled as she grabbed Night's shoulders in her claws and flew into the air.

"Not so fast!" In the form of a dragon, Dusk hovered in front of them with a grin. Cora glared at him. "Night Wing's power is mine!" He reached a claw toward Night before Cora lunged and bit his thumb. Dusk flicked his claw to send both Night and Cora flying toward the ground. "You got guts, griffon," Dusk smirked as Night and Cora landed with heavy thuds.

Crystal stood between the couple and Dusk with a glare. "Keep away from her!"

Dusk chuckled as he landed on the ground and shifted back to his new form. "How are you going to stop me?"

"We'll stop you together!" Angel called out as she stood next to Crystal.

"Friends stick together, no matter what!" Blazing added as he stood opposite Angel. Night and Cora stood up behind them.

"A couple of pegasi, an Erisumn, and a griffon against me?" Dusk chuckled. "I have the power of every creature in Equestria. You don't stand a chance!"

"That doesn't matter," Night said as she looked up. Dusk raised an eyebrow at her. "Cora was abandoned as an egg, yet she served a journey to my home. Blazing isn't a normal pegasus, yet he's welcomed in Ponyville like any pony. Zuro has his secrets, yet none of us care." Night narrowed her brow at Dusk. "By all accounts, we all should be on our own. Shunned by the world, yet here we all are. Together. We can stop you, and we will."

"Oh please," Dusk groaned. "There's only one way to get anywhere in life. And that's power." His horn began to glow red like fire. Night glared as her gem ignited a bright blue and a shield appeared before her just as Dusk launched a fireball at her. The flame burst on contact and radiated strong heat around them. Night looked over the shield at Dusk, who smiled at her. "Impressive." Cora glanced over Night's shoulder to glare at Dusk.

Night kicked the shield toward Dusk. Dusk quickly shifted to a yak and smashed his head right into the shield's edge with a hardy "Yach!" The shield smashed into pieces before they faded into nothing just as Blazing flew directly over Dusk's head. Blazing's flaming wings touched Dusk's fur and quickly engulfed him in flame. "Is that all?" Dusk asked as he stood in flames with an annoyed look.

Angel flew in from behind and bucked the back of Dusk's head. Dusk's faceplanted into the dirt with a loud thud just as Cora flew in with an eagle screech. Cora slashed and clawed everything she could reach as she passed over Dusk. The gust of wind from Cora's flyby smothered out the flame and Night came in next. Night generated a large mallet and smashed his head into the dirt.

The group gathered close by and looked at their work. Dusk lay there facedown in the dirt for a few seconds before shifting back to his normal form as he got to his hooves. The group gasped as Dusk casually dusted off some dirt with a smile. "I gotta say, this is so much better than my old life," Dusk observed as he smiled at Night. "It's gonna suck when I finally have your power."

"You're not getting anything from Night!" Cora hissed as she defensively stood in front of Night.

"It's not as funny as the first time you said it," Dusk scoffed as he walked up. "Just give up." Blazing kicked off the ground and flew between Dusk and the group, leaving a tail of fire on the ground. "Fire won't work on me, flame brain." Dusk snorted as he shifted to an ursa and smacked a large paw at the ground, instantly smothering the flames. Dusk looked to find the group gone. "Come out, come out, wherever you are," Dusk sing-songed as he looked around. He spotted the group flying toward Canterlot and chuckled.

Night led the group toward the shielded castle. Blazing carried Crystal on his back. "I'm sorry I'm not a flier like the rest of you," Crystal offered.

"Forget about that!" Cora hissed. "We have to get to Canterlot to warn the others!"

"How are we gonna get passed that shield?" Blazing asked.

"I don't think we'll need to worry about that," Crystal observed as she pointed to the castle. The shield was gone.

"The changelings must've broken through!" Angel observed as she rushed by Night and Cora toward the city.

"Angel, you shouldn't-" Crystal called out in vain. Angel was already out of sight.

"Forget her!" Cora hissed. "We need to get to the castle!"

"Not on my watch!" Dusk's voice boomed through the air. They all looked up to find him in a dragon form just in time for him to tackle Night out of the air and toward the ground.

"Night!" Cora screamed.

Night did not go down without a fight. She swung her forehooves into Dusk's face a few times before she generated anything she could think of to smack him in the head with. Dusk only chucked with every hit. "Dragon scales are the toughest in the world! You can't hurt me like this!"

The sound of an eagle filled the air as Cora flew down. She slashed her claws at Dusk's eyes. Dusk flinched and dropped Night as Cora grabbed her and flew toward the castle. Dusk glared at the griffon just as Blazing flew in and bucked him in the face. "Claws off my friend, pal!" Blazing called as he flew after Cora.

"You're only making this harder on everyone!" Dusk growled as he flew after them.

Cora and Night flew directly to the castle and flew straight through a shattered window into the main grand hall. "Princess Celestia!" Night called out as she and Cora landed. Every guard in the room rushed around the two, pointing their spears at them.

"Halt!" one of the guards barked.

"Waoh, easy there, boys," Cora said as she held her claws up. "We're not the problem here."

"Night? Cora?" Twilight's voice called out. They all looked to find the unicorn walking up with a raised brow. "If that really is you."

"We don't have time for this!" Night cried out just before a roar filled the room. Everyone looked up just as Dusk came crashing through the roof.

"Head's up!" Blazing cried as Dusk threw him to the ground below. Blazing landed with a thud that shattered the floor.

The guards readied themselves as the dragon in the room thrashed at everything that moved. "First the changelings, now a dragon?!" one of the guards complained as he charged Dusk.

Night rushed toward the princesses while Dusk was distracted. "Princess! We need the elements!" Night cried out as Celestia looked at Night.

"Right!" Celestia agreed. "Twilight, the wedding will have to wait! You know what to do!"

"Already on it, princess!" Twilight said as she looked at Night. "Come with us!" Night inclined her head and ran off with Twilight and her friends. Cora followed after Night.

"That Muneris is mine!" Dusk roared as he broke free from the guards poking spears at his feet. Before he could take a step, a group of unicorn guards collectively used magic to pin him down. "Hie viaruz!" Dusk roared before shifting to a griffon and flew around the room, kicking each unicorn he flew by.

"It's a changeling!" a guard cried out.

"How are any of them still here?!"

"It's not a changeling, guys!" Blazing cried out as he flew with his wings ablaze toward Dusk. "It's a Sirenum!" Blazing collided with Dusk and the two kicked and clawed at each other as they fell to the ground.

Celestia kicked off the ground with her horn glowing a bright yellow and a determined glare in her eye. "Every pony, restrain that griffon!" Celestia ordered. Before anything else could happen, Dusk sent blazing flying toward a nearby wall in the form of a yak.

"You can't stop me!" Dusk yelled as he charged through a group of guards after Night and the others.

"Blazing, take charge!" Celestia ordered flying after Dusk.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Blazing said as he shook his head. "Where's Shining Armor?"

"He's sitting this one out," Cadence called out as she walked up. "He needs rest after being under Crysalis's spell."

"Alright," Blazing briefly bowed his head. "Boys, we might not be able to stop Dusk, but we need to hold him off for as long as possible!"

"Yes sir!" the guards barked.

"Let's go!"

The six ponies led Night and Cora through the castle toward a room equally as decorated as the grand hall. They stopped at a large door with a magic lock.

"Right! Where are the elements?!" Cora asked.

"They're here," Twilight answered as she looked at the door.

"Well, get them!" Cora ordered.

"That looks like something only a princess can open," Night observed as she looked at the door.

"Nyngul vez'gul!" Cora cursed. "Then how are Twilight and the others supposed to use the elements?!"

"No elements?!" Dusk smirked as he charged the group. They all jumped out of the way just as he rammed into the door. The whole room shook from the impact. "That makes things much easier!" Dusk chuckled as he looked toward Night. Night conjured a battering ram and lunged at Dusk, who only head-butted it into pieces. "Pathetic!"

"Let's go, ponies!" Applejack yelled as she charged Dusk and bucked him in the rear. Dusk faceplanted into the ground with a loud thud.

"Impressive strength for an earth pony!" Dusk huffed as he shifted to his equine form.

"There's more where that came from!" Applejack smirked.

"Too bad it's not enough!" Dusk growled as he grabbed Applejack and threw her to a wall. Twilight jumped in and fired some magic from her horn at him. The force from her magic pushed him back. "Well, aren't you the powerful unicorn!"

"You got that right!" Rainbow growled as she flew toward Dusk in a streak of rainbow. The pegasus bucked him in the face with enough force to flip him in the air and he landed on his back with a heavy thud. "Don't mess with my friends!"

"Night Wing!" Blazing called out as he and several guards came charging toward Dusk. "Clear the way!" The unicorns created small shields in front of the earth ponies, who held spears at the ready as they charged. The pegasi flew over the group with fierce glares.

Night Wing, Cora, and the others jumped out of the way as the group collided with Dusk. They all went through the wall behind Dusk and fell toward the ground below. "This'll be more fun than I thought!" Dusk chuckled as he grew a set of wings to fly back up. The pegasi charged him.

"He's too strong," Night observed as she watched the group try in vain to apprehend Dusk.

"We need the elements!" Rainbow called out. "Where's the princess?!"

"Right here, Rainbow Dash," Celestia said as she rushed up and used her horn to unlock the door. Within the chamber sat a single purple box lined with gems of every color. Celestia's magic carried the box toward Twilight before it opened. Inside the case was a single crown with a purple star-shaped gem surrounded by five necklaces. Each of the necklaces had a gem in the shape of different marks. A diamond, a butterfly, a lightning bolt, an apple, and a balloon.

"The Elements of Harmony," Night observed. "I never thought they were real, let alone actually being able to see them."

"Guess the party's over!" Dusk called out from the hole in the wall. "Time to get this over with!" He took the form of an octopus and grabbed Night with one of his tentacles.

"Night!" Cora screamed as she lunged at the appendage. Before she could reach him, Dusk yanked Night away and fell out of the hole.

"Let's go girls!" Twilight called out as she put each of the elements on herself and her friends. Once they were all equipped with their respective element, Twilight used her magic to carry them all outside as Cora bolted after Dusk.

As they fell, Night conjured everything she could think of to hit Dusk upside the head with. "Fight all you want! You're never going to stop this!" Dusk growled. Night looked around to find all the guards beaten and bruised all over the place. Dusk shifted to a dragon and flew toward the mountainside.

Dusk landed and shifted back to his equine form before glaring at Night. "Time to end it!" He pulled her closer to press his horn against her gem. Before anything could happen, Cora flew in with such speed, that it sent Dusk falling to his side. Cora flew off with Night in her claws. "Now you're just bozanai me off!" Dusk growled as he shifted to a griffon and flew after her.

Cora flew back toward the castle courtyard where Twilight and the others were waiting. A gust of wind snatched Cora out of the air and Night fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Night shook her head and looked up to find Dusk hovering in place with Cora's throat in his grip.

"Cora!" Night cried.

"This has gone on long enough!" Dusk barked. "Night Wing, surrender yourself now, or the griffon gets it!" Dusk tightened his grip on Cora's throat. Cora gagged and struggled in vain against his grip.

"Let her go!" Blazing huffed as he tried flying toward Dusk. Dusk snorted as he sent Blazing to the ground with a blast of red magic.

"What's it gonna be, Night?" Dusk asked Night. "Your friend, or you?"

"Forget me, Night!" Cora gagged.

"Let her go!" Night barked.

"Surrender, Night," Dusk ordered impatiently. "I'm not gonna say it again."

"Don't listen to him, Night!" Twilight called out. "We have the elements! We can stop him now!"

"Use those rocks and Cora goes!" Dusk snarled. "Any longer and this stand-off will make my claws slip!" He tightened his grip more and Cora's body started to go limp.

"Stop!" Night cried out as tears began to stain her cheeks. "You win! I give!"

"Then get your yza over here!" Dusk ordered.

"Night, no!" Blazing groaned as he struggled to his hooves.

Night walked up to Dusk with her head hanging. Twilight looked at the others with a glare. They all inclined their heads before they gathered in formation. "Try anything and the griffon dies!" Dusk barked as Night got to him. He grabbed her by the neck and dropped Cora. Cora coughed as she hit the ground with a thud. Dusk held Night up with a triumphant look before placing his horn against Night's gem. Their bodies began to glow.

"Now!" Twilight called out. The group of six equines closed their eyes as the elements they wore illuminated brightly. The six levitated in the air. Blazing watched the group in awe. Cora could not tear her eyes from Night as tears dropped from her beak. A bright rainbow shot from the six into the air before arching down toward Dusk and Cora. The air filled with a loud bang of magic. The magic enveloped Night and Dusk in blinding light. Twilight's eyes glowed pure white as the magic of the elements spread across the courtyard and beyond.

It felt like an eternity had passed before the light finally faded away. Twilight and the others groaned as they picked themselves off the ground. "I thought that would be easier to take by now," Rainbow observed as she rubbed a hoof on the back of her head. Blazing picked himself off the grass with all his bruises healed. The surrounding guards also got to their hooves. "Sound off!" one of the guards ordered. All the guards began to call out in response.

Cora rubbed her eyes before looking around in a panic. "Night?!" Blazing and the others looked up at the sound of Cora's voice. On the grass where Dusk and Night were was a bundle of black feathers and fur. "Night!" Cora cried as she rushed up to the bundle.

"Cora, be careful!" Blazing ordered as he rushed up with her.

"Vex'g iva!" Cora snapped as she crouched next to the bundle.

The bundle twitched and began to spread open. A set of black wings that faded to white at the end of each feather stretched out to the sky. The body they belonged to began to spread out and stand up. The creature's hair and tail were a matching white with black streaks. Protruding from her head was a long red, crystal-like horn that curved upward. Her fur was black and silky smooth, which faded to white at the hooves. A tuft of white covered her chest as she stood as tall as Celestia. This creature was an alicorn.

"Night Wing?" Cora asked as she reached a claw up. The alicorn opened her eyes to reveal grey irises with red rings around the pupils.

"Cora?" the alicorn said softly. It was Night Wing's voice that escaped her lips. "Blazing?" she asked as she spotted the yellow pegasus next to Cora. Twilight and the others carefully walked closer with their elements ready. Night looked herself over to find her new form.

"Night, is that you?" Cora asked. The alicorn looked at Cora for a few seconds and smiled.

"It's me, Cora," Night said. "I'm fine."